Locking device for wardrobe trunks



June 19, 1951 J, LUFT 2,557,670

- LOCKING DEVICE FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS Filed March 5, 1947 2 SheetS-Sheei 1 June 19, 1951 J. LuFT LOCKING DEVICE FOR wARDRoBE 'muNKs 2 Sheets-Shel 2 v IIVVENTOR.I

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Filed March 3, 1947 Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATS ATENT OFFICE LOCKING DEVICE FOR WARDROBE TRUNKS John Luft, Oshkosh, Wis., assignor to Oshkosh Trunks and Luggage, Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Claims.

This invention relates generally to a Wardrobe trunk having at least two compartments each of which is accessible through its own door. More particularly my invention is concerned with a simple and eiective locking mechanism which is adapted to lock or unlock, in one operation, the doors of the several compartments. In accomplishing this objective, I utilize a linkage systemk comprising locking parts which are sturdy and simple, and also compact so as to occupy "the minimum of space. More particularly, the locking mechanism operates to impart a final closing, and also an initial opening, movement to one of the doors, depending upon whether it is being operated to locking or unlocking position.

As a suggestive embodiment of my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, in

Fig. 1, a perspective view, partly broken away to exhibit the principal parts of the locking mechanism which is carried within the Wardrobe compartment of the trunk;

Fig. 2, a similar view in lwhich the locking mechanism is shown as retracted to an unlocking position;

Fig. 3, a horizontal section through the trunk, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, an enlarged fragmentary detail in vertical section showing the operating mechanism in its locked position; and

Figs. 5, 6, and 7, details in section taken, respectively, on lines 5-5, 6 6, and 'I-1, of Fig. 4.

The trunk here shown by way of illustration is of the partitioned type in that it comprises one section which may be termed a wardrobe compartment A Separated by a wall ID from another section which may be termed a chifonier compartment B. The Walls enclosingthe chiffonier compartment include also a door I I which is extended around in line with one corner of the trunk in the form of a flange I2 which is hingedly connected as at I3 to the proximate wall of the trunk. Access to the wardrobe section A is provided by a door I5 which extends around in line with another corner of the trunk to provide a flange I6 having a hinge connectionat Il with the proximate wall of the trunk. The opposite free edge of this door is also angled to provide a second flange I8, parallel with the first flange I6, adapted to lie adjacent the proximate trunk wall I9 to which it may be locked in the manner presently to be described.

The chifonier door I I carries near its free edge upper and lower keepers 20 each having a base 2| which may be secured. at spaced points 2 to the door II. A protecting strip 22 which is carried by the door II along itsfree edge covers the keeper bases to conceal the same fromview exteriorly of the trunk.

The trunk wall I9 proximate to the swinging free edge of the door II is provided with a pair of slots 26 at points opposite the keepers 20 `which are accordingly free to be advanced therethrough so as to present closed slots '2l formed therein wholly within the wardrobe compartment. 'I'he positions of the keepers, when the door II is closed, are proximate to the partition wall I0.

Rotatably mounted upon the exterior of the trunk wall I9 is a hasp I-I having a locking arm 3I in hinged connection at S2 with a hub 33 from which is axially extended a stud 34 of non-round v cross section which passes through the trunk wall I9 to project within the wardrobe compartment. A bearing plate 36 may be interposed between the hasp hub 33` and the outer face of the proximate to the gear 40 is slidingly supported in the channel 38, whereas the opposite bar end is fitted slidingly through a strap-guide 43 which is carried by the wall I9 at a. point relatively close to the upper keeper 29. When the hasp Hv is rotated about its axis, motion is transmitted from its spindle 34 to the partial gear 40 whereby to reciprocate the rack bar 42. In one position (Figs. 1 and 4) the bar is advanced toward the partition wall Ill so as to enter through the slot 2l of the keeper 2D, thereby locking the door II in a closed position to safeguard theA chionier compartment therewithin. In its opposite position (Fig. 2), the rack bar is retracted a distance suflicient to disengage from the keeper 29 whereby to free the door I I for opening move-v ment.

A crank arm 45 is extended radially from the spindle 34 to rotate therewith. Near the endv of the crank arm is a pivotal connection 46 with a link lll which is extended vertically along the wall I9 close to its opening into the wardrobe compartment adjacent the free edge of the door ange I8. This link near its lower end is pivotally connected at 48 With a cam-latch arm 49 pivoted to the trunk wall I9 at 5U, and having its free end extended beyond the proximate edge of said wall to lap past the door flange IB. The position of this latch-cam arm is desirably medially of the trunk top and bottom (see Figs. 1 and 2). The free end of the latch-cam arm is provided with a relatively long depending arcuate cam 52 defining one edge of a deep slot 53 whose opposite edge is defined by a slightly shorter depending arcuate finger 5I adapted to enter the slot 55 of the keeper bar 55 which is anchored to the flange I8 of the door I5. When in the down position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the latchcam arm secures the wardrobe compartment door I5 in closed position.

Also in pivotal connection, at 38, with the latchcam arm 49 is the upper end of the second link 60 which depends to a point relatively close to the trunk bottom to establish at its lower end pivotal connection at 6I with a locking arm G2 which is pivoted to the trunk wall as at 63. At the point of connection between the link 65 and the locking arm 62 the latter may be provided with an endwise slot Sla wherein the pivot 6I is free-'to shift as required by a slight swinging movement of the link 60 through its pivotal connection, at 84, with a crank arm 65 which is extended non-rotatably from a stud S5 that is mounted for movement in. an anchor plate @l that-is carried by the trunk wall i9. The bottoni edge of -this anchor plate is formed into an upwardly facing channel '.0 for slidably supporting one end ofy a rack bar 's'I which is extended along the inner face of the trunk wall I9 in a generally horizontal direction. Mounted on the stud for rotationtherewith is a partial gear 'l2 whose teethfIS. are in meshwith those of the rack bar 1I to impart longitudinal movement thereto. The endo the rack bar 1I which is remote from the gearV 12 maybe fitted slidingly through e. strap-guide 'I5 which is carried by the wall ES at apoint relatively close to the lower keeper 2S. By. the linkage of parts described up to this point, I provide for4 concurrent movement of the rack bars '1I and 42, both in the same direction and desirably for the-same distance, whereby to engage and .disengage in unison the two keepers 2S.

The locking arm 62 is provided with a downwardly facing slot 80 bounded to the outside by theY convex face 8l of a depending nger 823 which is adapted to enter the slot 83 of a second keeper bar.- 84 which at an opposite point is anchored to the flange I8 of the door I5. In the position of Figs. l and 4 wherein the cam-latch arm-'19` is engaged with the keeper bar 55 the lockingl arm 62 near the trunk bottom is also engaged with its keeperv bar 84 so that the trunk door I5-is secured in closed position at two spaced points. This position is reached only when the hasp H, serving as a handle, has been swung down horizontally (see Fig. 1) to a point opsite a socket keeper 81 anchored to 'the door flange I8 exteriorly thereof, for reception of oppositely extended'latch bolts 83 which are projected radially from a key operated lock cylindergthat is carried by the hasp adjacent its free end. The hasp accordingly provides a further means of securement for the wardrobe door at a point near its top. Its locking engagement follows after that of the cam-latch arm 4Q whose operation to locking position also precedes that of the locking arm 1I. Conversely, the hasp IFI is-the first of the three locking means to become disengaged from the` trunk Vdoor I5, the locking arm 'II is second, and the cam-latch arm .'32 is the last.

It will be ,noted that the finger 54 of the camlatch arm 49 is concavely bowed where it faces the slot 53 whereas the finger 82 of the locking arm 52 is convexly bowed at the same point; also that the long arcuate face of the cam 52 is curved (symmetrically or otherwise) about e. radius much longer than one reaching to the axis of the pivotal connection 50 between the cam-latch arm and the trunk wall I9. When swung upwardly from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 2, the arcuate face of this cam moves outwardly an increasing distance from the pivot point'50, andin so doing exerts a camming thrust upon its associated keeper bar 56. The effect of this is toopen the door I5 a slight distance before it is fully released. With the door so ajarred initially, following release of the hasp I-I and the locking arm 62, a further and complete opening movement of the door is facilitated. When in its topmost position, the cam 52 at is lower end stands opposite the keeper bar 56 so as to prevent complete closing of the door by engaging with the keeper plate, unless the hasp be then rotated about the center of its hub to operate the linkage system and lower the cam-latch arm to its locking position. In this movement the convex face 8l of the finger 82 of the locking arm will act as a cam-to force the door I5 near its bottom to a tightly closed position. It will thus be noted that in the operation of unlocking the door the camlatch arm 49 exerts a thrust force for imparting an initial opening movement to the door, and in the operation of locking the door the locking arm G2 exerts a tension force for imparting a final closing movement to the door.

For clarity in illustration I have omitted any showing of a conventional covering strip whereby to prevent contact between the linkage system and garments contained within the wardrobe compartment. My invention relates primarily to a key controlled locking mechanism which operates concurrently to secure or free two doors, otherwise completely independent, opening into separate compartments of the same trunk, and which provides for one door sequentially-operating multiple locking means acting both to initiate opening movement and complete final closing movement of the door.

I claim:

l. In a wardrobe trunk, a locking device adapted for locking two separate doors, comprising spaced spindles, spaced slidable bolts each provided with rack teeth, a gear element mounted on each spindle and each meshing with the rack teeth of one of theV bolts for reciprocating the same, a crank arm mounted on each spindle, spaced pivotally mounted latch arms spaced from the bolts, and a linkage arranged substantially at right angles to the bolts and connecting the crank arms of the spindles with each other and with the pivoted latch arms for actuating said latch arms simultaneously with the bolts.

2, In a wardrobe trunk, a locking device adapted for locking two separate doors, comprising spaced spindles, spaced slidable bolts provided with rack teeth, a gear element mounted on each spindle and each meshing with the rack teeth of one of the bolts for reciprocating the same, a crank arm mounted on each spindle, spaced pivotally mounted latch arms spaced from the bolts, a linkage arranged substantially at right'angles to the bolts and connecting the crank arms of the spindles with each other and with the pivoted latch arms for actuating said latch arms simultaneously with the bolts, and a key controlled lock having a hasp connected with one of the spindles for rotating the same to actuate the bolts and the latch arms simultaneously.

3. In a Wardrobe trunk, a locking device adapted for locking two separate `doors comprising spaced spindles, substantially parallel spaced slidable bolts provided With rack teeth, gear elements fixed to the spindles and meshing with the rack teeth for reciprocating the bolts, crank elements also xed to the spindles, longitudinally aligned links arranged substantially at right angles to the boltsv and pivotally interconnected at their adjacents ends, one of the links being pivoted at its other end to one of the crank ele# ments and the other link being pivoted adjacent its other end to the other crank element and extended beyond the same to provide a projecting portion, and spaced pivoted latch arms, one of the latch arms being connected to the pivotally interconnected ends of the links and the other latch arm being pivotally connected to said projecting portion of said other link.

4. In a wardrobe trunk, a locking device adapted for locking two separate doors comprising spaced spindles, substantially parallel spaced slidable bolts provided with rack teeth, gear elements fixed to the spindles and meshing with the rack teeth for reciprocating the bolts, crank elements also xed to the spindles, longitudinally aligned links arranged substantially at right angles to the bolts and pivotally interconnected at their adjacent ends, one of the links being pivoted at its other end to one of the crank elements and the other link being pivoted adjacent its other end to the other crank element and extended beyond the same to provide a projecting portion, spaced pivoted latch arms, one of the latch arms being connected to the pivotally connected ends of the links and the other latch arm being pivotally interconnected to said projecting portion of said other link, and a key controlled lock having a hasp connected with one of said spindles for rotating the same to operate the sliding bolts and the latchV arms simultaneously.

5. In a Wardrobe trunk, a locking device comprising spaced spindles, bearing means for mounting the spindles on a trunk, said bearing means being provided with channel guides, substantially parallel slidable bolts provided With rack teeth and arranged in and guided by said channel guides, gear elements xed to the spindles and meshing With the teeth of the bolts for reciprocating the latter, crank elements also fixed to the spindles, a linkage arranged substantially at right angles to the bolts and connecting the crank elements, and a key controlled lock having a hasp connected With one of the spindles for rotating the latter for simultaneously reciprocating the bolts in the same direction.

' JOHN LUFT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

